Before having a child, “me time” had a completely different
definition. It meant long weekends away at the drop of a hat, relaxing
dinners with friends, shopping excursions and endless amounts of pedicures,
massages and alone time whenever I wanted it.

Let’s all observe a moment of silence for my former freedoms.

Before having Maddy, I can think back to times where I felt
bored. I mean, I actually felt completely and utterly bored with nothing to do
and honestly, at times, it was glorious. Friends without kids tell me – does boredom
still exist? Is it still a real thing? I can’t honestly remember the last time
I was truly bored.

Mind you, I’m not complaining. I’m really not however, I can’t
help but to think back to my life pre-Maddy and how so much has changed since
giving birth. Most of it for the better but some of it? Well, if I’m being
honest, some of it hasn’t been so hot – like "me time"…as in, I hardly if ever
get it anymore. Not in the traditional “before kids” kind of way at least. Now? Now, it
looks completely different.

A hot,
uninterrupted shower. Because I’m a working mom, most mornings I’m playing a game
of “Let’s see if I can get in and out of the shower before my child wakes up
and comes in the bathroom to scream at me that she wants Cheerios” game and
nine times out of ten, I lose. On the off chance that I actually make it
through a hot shower all by myself without being bothered, I get the terrible
feeling that something is wrong because hello! It’s not often that I get the
alone time. #truth

Being able to finish a cup of hot coffee. Remember the weekend days of leisurly getting out of bed, strolling into the kitchen and making that first cup of coffee for the day while taking your time reading emails, surfing the web, watching TV or reading the paper?

Yeah, me neither.

Those days are long gone and gone with them is my ability to finish one cup of coffee. Usually when my feet hit the floor in the morning, I've played doctor, repair man, boo boo fixer, magician and animal wrangler all before 7 a.m. To actually make it through an entire cup of coffee and to be able to drink it while it's still hot is a rarity and cause for major celebration should it happen in our home.

Staying awake
after bedtime. There have been so many times at the end of the day where I just
want to curl up in my bed and go to sleep…at 7:30. I keep myself awake though because
it’s the only time during the day that I get to myself to do what I want
whether it’s catching up on a TV show, blogging, surfing the web or generally
just being lazy and useless. Sleep be damned by a mother with a little bit of
free time on her hands!

Extended alone
time in the bathroom. Moms joke about this one a lot simply because it’s true. Before
I had my daughter, I could have never imagined how much of my life would revolve
around a toilet. Before having a child, going to the bathroom was a very simple
process. Now it has become a refuge…that is until those little Vienna sausage
fingers come poking out from underneath the door.

Washing the
dishes. The deal in our home is that whoever is cleaning up the dishes
and dining room from dinner, the other one has to watch Maddy. I must admit
there is something rejuvenating about letting my thoughts wander off to nowhere
while I’m elbow deep in Palmolive and loading the dishwasher. Call it what you
will, for me it’s called ME TIME.

School pick up. I get off work
at 5 p.m. and my office is literally located right behind Maddy’s day care so
when I get in my car and park in the school parking lot, I usually sit for 10 –
15 minutes before going inside to get her. I have no shame in leaning my head
back and catching a little shut eye in front of everyone before going inside to
pick up my child. Shhh, quiet please. Mommy is sleeping.

While we know this list is for a few laughs, we also know there
is so much truth behind each of these as well. I know that one day my longing
for “me time” will be replaced for more “her time” as Maddy grows and
increasingly considers her mother to be “uncool.” So for now, while the need
for “me time” is strong, I’m cherishing every moment I have with my little
Chickie because I know the days of her pulling away are coming fast and
furious.

And really, “her time” is so much better in a lot of ways, don’t
you think?

One of the biggest challenges as a working mom is finding a day
care that both you and your child feel comfortable with and love. It’s no easy
task, especially if you’re new to the day care scene or going back to work for
the first time since having your child. A while back I discussed the 5 important questions you should ask before enrolling your child in any day care facility. Today, I’d like to talk a little more about how you know you’ve found quality care for your child.

This topic can be purely subjective depending on each individual’s
circumstances and preferences however, we’ve had our daughter in day care since
I went back to work after maternity leave. For those of you trying to do the
math, that was three and a half years ago. We’ve had Maddy enrolled in both
in-home child care and traditional child care facilities during this time so I
like to think that I’ve picked up some tips worth sharing because really,
regardless of the option you choose, there are some fundamentals that apply
across the board in determining if you’ve found the right center for you and
your child.

A fancy, expensive day care used to impress me. Now I’m more
concerned with the initial gut feeling I have when I walk into a facility and
talk with the staff and see how the other children are responding and reacting
to the center.

There is an
open-door policy. You should feel as if you can stop by anytime to check-in on
your child to see how they are doing. The staff should be welcoming and accommodating
at all times. In my last post of 5 important questions to ask before enrolling,
I discussed the importance of observation rooms or web cams. For me, these are
absolute must haves. These are non-intrusive ways to peek in on your child
during the day to see how they are doing and what is going on in their
classroom. Maddy’s current center has private observation rooms and I usually
stop by 3-4 times per week during my lunch hour to see how she’s doing. It has
given me an opportunity to see what she is learning and what she may need help
with. As a parent, you should always be made to feel welcome in your child’s
school. In our current center, parents are always welcome to come and have
lunch with their child, read to the kids in their class or volunteer in the
classroom. This transparency means so much. If you’re not getting that,
consider other options.

They make it a
point to keep you updated. Whether it’s by a monthly newsletter, daily activity report or
a simple conversation when you pick up to let you know about a concern or an achievement
for the day, open communication is vital to have in any center. Maddy’s school
provides parent/teacher conferences twice a year along with a development
report that shows where Maddy is currently with her skills and learning. We
also receive emails about any potential issues with other sick children in the
center and the staff is also great about sharing the week’s lesson plan and
menu. This constant effort from the staff to communicate really helps to ease
any concerns about what is going on with the center and helps me to stay
focused on my job during the day.

Your child is happy
there and looks forward to going to school. I know Maddy really loves being with
us on the weekends but more than not, I get asked a million times, “Is it school day yet?” She’s also itching to get out of her car seat
when we pull up to the center and she literally goes running with a smile to
the front door to see her friends. She genuinely loves her school friends and
talks about them at home, as well as her teachers. This tells me she loves her
school. Unfortunately, this hasn’t always been the case for her and it shows.
While your child may have some initial separation anxiety, once his school
schedule has become the norm, you will be able to tell if your child really
loves their school.

The discipline
policy aligns with your personal values. Does the center believe in time out?
Do they redirect a misbehaving child? What actions are taken to teach the right
behaviors to correct the wrong? This is often a component that gets glossed
over easily during the selection process but it is important for you to know.
Find out how your children are being disciplined to ensure the policies align
with your core values.

The teachers
genuinely care about your child. I’ve seen how Maddy lights up when she talks about her teachers
and during my time spent in the observation booth, I’ve seen how she interacts
with each of her teachers in a happy and positive way. There is a mutually
beneficial, respectful and loving relationship that exists with each of her
teachers at school. I have a good feeling about each of them which makes it
very easy to leave her for the day. It also says a lot that each of them have
come to me with any concerns or tid-bits of good news about her progress during
the day. This open communication and genuine care for Maddy’s well-being says
so much about how seriously the teachers take their job.

Your child is
thriving. What’s the old expression – “The proof is in the pudding?” If
your child is consistently learning new things, showing a love of learning,
growing more and more creative and is growing in independence, then you have
found a gem of a day care. One day a few weeks ago at pickup, I went into Maddy’s
classroom and when I said “hello” to her, she responded with, “Hola!” and a
great big smile. My child was speaking Spanish. Out of the blue, she was
talking to me in another language and I was blown away but this is often how it
is – she comes home all the time with a new skill or lesson that amazes her
father and me. Indeed, the proof is in the pudding.

Above all, trust your instincts and listen to your child. Never,
EVER feel silly or irrational for demanding that your child have the best in
school care. Have you found a center your child loves? If so, how did you know?

+Chickie was once again sick but this time with the dreaded
stomach bug going around.
+I received my first sponsor for the blog! If you’re interested in sponsoring,
you can get information here!

+Michael found out that an excerpt from his memoir, Share the Chameleon, was selected for ‘Best
of the Net’ Anthology for 2015! (It’s like the Golden Globes of the writing
world)
+My weight loss journey is still going steady and I’ve lost 3 more pounds.
+Overall, this week was filled with a lot of challenges. I’m hoping the weekend
resets life and gets things back to “normal” next week.

When I found out I was pregnant, I knew with all my being that I
was having a boy. When Michael and I would go to look at clothing, or bedding
or anything baby, I would gravitate towards the boy items. We talked about boy
names and I researched everything boy.

Oh boy was I wrong.

When the ultrasound tech told me I was having a girl, my head
exploded. I just knew I was supposed to be having a boy, so much so that I
asked her to check again. Sure enough, there was no dingle in my daughter’s
anatomy. Our baby was indeed all girl and I was floored. My parents raised 3
girls – three. How either of them has
any hair left on their heads to this day is beyond me and that’s all I could
think of at the time – girls are drama. Girls are crazy chaotic. Girls will
turn your life upside down.

Well, almost four years later, our life has indeed been turned
upside down. It has definitely been crazy and chaotic. It has been filled with
dramatic fits worthy of winning an Oscar. We’ve dealt with our little girl
being completely fine one minute and a complete ranting, raving lunatic riding
the waves of emotions the next {Hello mood swings!}. We’ve experienced so much
in our short amount of time as girl parents…

And I’ve loved every minute of it.

I try so hard to think back to my time of pregnancy and how I
had my hopes set so high on a boy and it’s hard to do because I know with every
fiber of my being that this little girl was made for me. The Lord crafted her,
molded her and shaped her with His own hands. Every detail on her curious,
funny and beautiful face was put there by the hand of the Master. He breathed
His life into her and then gave her to me. Without me knowing it at the time,
the Lord saved me in every way a person can be saved: with love, grace and the
beauty and wonderment of one little girl.

I could easily say that I love having a girl because of the cute
clothes, her hair and all of those things and yes, all of that’s true but it’s
more than that. It’s SO much more than all of that. Being a mom to a girl is
special and unique in so many ways.

A better
appreciation for your own mom. From the moment your little girl is handed to you in the
hospital and you lay eyes on her for the first time, you feel an overwhelming
sense of pride and immediately begin to think of all the things you hope and
wish for your daughter; success, finding pure joy in life, love, hope and happiness.
You always want to be her biggest advocate but you know that she will have
trials, face obstacles and have some really bad days – so you hold onto her a
little tighter as long as you can and it isn’t too long after that you realize
your mom feels the exact same way about you. #mindblown

The forming
motherly instinct. I always felt like I lacked this growing up but when I look at
my daughter and I see how she so carefully and lovingly puts her stuffed
animals to sleep, feeds them and plays kitchen with them, it makes my heart
burst. She’s already learning about compassion and taking care of others and it
just fills my heart with joy.

Raising the next
generation of strong women leaders. In as much as my daughter loves to play house, I have the
opportunity to raise a strong woman role model and a leader for our world. In a
time where women still have to fight for their rightful place in our nation, it’s
an amazing honor to have the opportunity to raise an independent,
self-thinking, strong and courageous woman. Maddy will go into our world armed
with the knowledge that she can do, or be, anything she chooses. Hopefully by
the time she enters the real world, our society will be far more advanced in
their thinking of a “woman’s place” in society but until then, it’s my job to
teach her that she can do anything she puts her mind to.

She makes me a
better woman and person. Having a girl makes you want to be a better person. You
suddenly have the urge to think more of others and serve them in ways you never
thought of before because your daughter is watching you and you want her to
learn compassion and empathy. You find yourself letting go of being rigid and
embracing goofy because it makes her laugh and you want her to be happy. You
realize that while you look in the mirror or stand on the scale and belittle
yourself, your daughter is watching so you shut it down and learn healthy
habits because it’s important for your daughter to have a healthy self-image of
herself. You push yourself harder with your own hobbies, talents and goals
because you want her to know that she can do the same and succeed. In every
way, my daughter has made me a better person and I am so eternally grateful for
this life lesson.

When the ultrasound tech told me I was having a girl, I had no
clue what to expect, but looking back, I wouldn’t change any of it for the
world. Because of my daughter, I am better than I was yesterday and for this
blessing, I am humbled.

Today, I'm joining Beth over at Our Pretty Little Girls as she launches her new 'Girl Moms' series today. Join me, and get to know more about one of my favorite daily reads as she talks about life as a mom to 2 beautiful little ladies. Say hi and share what you love about being a girl mom, too!

Growing up, I was one of those kids who really thought money grew on trees. I remember my dad picking me up from day care and I would ask what was for dinner and he would respond with something like, “Meatloaf” to which I would begin the negotiations:

“I’ll clean my room for a week if we can go out to eat.”

“I’ll get up on time in the morning if you guys take us out for pizza just this once!!”

“I promise I’ll feed the dog if we can eat anything but meatloaf.”

After many times of being told no {my father is a pro with the word no. Pretty sure he has his gold medal status} because he didn’t want to spend the money or because the budget was tight that month, I would finally declare, “Just write a check for it!!”

Uh huh.

Well, fast –forward some 30 years later and now that I have a family of my own with bills to pay, I get it. Money doesn’t just magically grow on trees nor will “Just writing a check” fly. Times are tight for everyone and most people I know are on a budget so when someone offers you the chance to have$50 in FREE CASH, you sit up and take notice.

Here’s just a snippet of some things currently on my wish list for when I have a little extra money lying around {haha}:

{ONE}

Tennessee Apparel

I’ve had my eyes on some new UT items to add to my collection and with my boys ranked #2 in the SEC going into August, I must represent. Oh how I love myVols!!

{TWO}

Coach Purse

I know MK is all the rage right now but in my humble opinion, Coach will always be my go-to purse of choice. I’ve always loved Coach – timeless, classic, and beautiful.

{THREE}

iPod Nano

Last year, my iPod was stolen so the only music I’ve had to listen to is Chickie’s renditions of “Summer” and “For the first time” from Frozen.

I know you’re jealous.

I would love to have a new iPod Nano to offset some of that beautiful signing.

Now, I know you have a wish list too, right? Well here’s where the FREE CASH comes in.

I’m co-sponsoring a fabulous give-a-way with the lovely Courtney from A +Life and co-sponsors to put $50 free cash into your PayPal account for your hearts shopping delight.

But that’s not all…

Each blogger co-hosting the the giveaway is also giving you FREE AD SPACES on their blog! Here are the pretty sweet offers from each blog:

Simply give us a little ‘Like’ and follow on our accounts below and for your trouble, we’ll enter you into a drawing for $50 moola and free ad space on 4 blogs, simple as that. Just enter in the Rafflecopter below and don’t forget to share with your friends.

Giveaway runs until next Wednesday at midnight. Courtney from A + Life will verify the winner, and then email the winner to confirm your address for the PayPal payment. Each of her her co-sponsors will receive your information as well to contact you about your free ad space on each of our blogs.

Pretty damn awesome, right?!

Admit it – we just made you want to scream “Hump Dayyyyy!” like that camel, didn’t we?